1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector assembly for interconnecting end portions of electric cables. More particularly, the present invention relates to a squib connector assembly and a component thereof, used in an airbag system for restraining vehicle occupants, for electrically energizing a gas producer to make it ignite.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An airbag system comprises an airbag assembly and an electric or electronic control system which are assembled in a hidden compartment of a driver""s cabin of a vehicle. The control system is connected with the airbag assembly via a wire harness. Typically, the wire harness is provided with a connector assembly comprising electrical plug and jack, to allow a simple way for the airbag assembly and the control system to be electrically interconnected after assembled separately.
A typical electrical connection of a conventional airbag system is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, a control system 100 is connected with a squib (igniter) 101 through the lines 102. The squib 101 is loaded in an airbag assembly, not shown, to electrically energize the gas producer to make it ignite, so as to inflate the airbag in the airbag assembly. This connection is provided by a squib connector assembly 103 comprising a first component 104 and a second component 105. Some examples of the squib connector assembly used in the airbag system are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,575 and JP Patent No. 2647336, for example.
In the squib connector assembly 103, a short-circuit element 107 is attached to the first component 104 so as to bridge between a pair of lines continuing into the squib 101, so as to provide short circulation. Also, a ferrite bead 106 is attached to the second component 105, allowing the lines 102 to extend therethrough. This construction is disclosed by JP Patent No. 2647336 as previously cited as well. The short-circuit element 107 is arranged as a safety device to prevent improper operation of the airbag assembly caused by leakage of electrical charge or improper connection in the course of production. The short-circuit element 107 is constructed to selectively switch between a short-circuit position and a non-short-circuit position. The ferrite bead 106 serves to provide the noise filtering function to prevent passage of noise current into the squib 101 that is caused by various kinds of electromagnetic waves from external equipment, including electric cables, various kinds of electronic equipment in the vehicle, a radio and a mobile phone, in order to prevent an explosion accident in the airbag system built in the vehicle. In the squib connector assembly, the ferrite bead 106 used as the noise filtering means is usually arranged on the second component 105. As an alternative to the ferrite bead in the squib connector assembly, coiled lines 102 may be used as the noise filtering means.
It will be understood from FIG. 4, however, that the conventional squib connector assembly requires a certain degree of lengthwise dimension to fully filter out noises by means of the ferrite bead or coiled lines. Due to this, the size of the ferrite bead itself or equivalent is becoming a limiting factor of miniaturization of the squib connector assembly which is recently being increasingly demanded for space saving provided by the miniaturization. In addition, the conventional squib connector assembly inevitably involves a complex assembling work that the wiring is made to pass through two narrow elongated thru holes in the ferrite bead, thus leading to reduction in workability.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a squib connector assembly and a component thereof that can adequately meet the demand for miniaturization and space saving and can provide improved workability in the assembling work.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a squib connector assembly for energizing a gas producer to make it ignite, the squib connector assembly comprising a first component for supporting a male electrical connector element; a second component for supporting a female electrical connector element engageable with the male electrical connector element; and a short-circuit element selectively switchable between a short-circuit position to electrically short-circuit the male electrical connector element and a non-short-circuit position, wherein a flat-plate-like noise filter having electromagnetic wave absorbing material is arranged between the first component and the short-circuit element, so as to allow the male electrical connector element to extend through it and surround the male electrical connector element.
According to this construction, the use of the flat-plate-like noise filter having electromagnetic wave absorbing material permits the full performance of capacitance function, and as such can permit the noise filtering function not inferior to that of the conventional squib connector assembly using the ferrite bead. Thus, the use of the thin and easily attachable noise filter can provide the squib connector assembly that can adequately meet the demand for miniaturization and space saving and provide improved workability in the assembling work. It should be noted that the capacitance function noted above indicates the function to absorb and filter out high-frequency noise current in the same manner as in the condenser.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a component used in a squib connector assembly for energizing a gas producer to make it ignite, the squib connector assembly comprising a first component for supporting a male electrical connector element; a second component for supporting a female electrical connector element engageable with the male electrical connector element; and a short-circuit element selectively switchable between a short-circuit position to electrically short-circuit the male electrical connector element and a non-short-circuit position, wherein the component used in the squib connector assembly comprises the short-circuit element to which a flat-plate-like noise filter having electromagnetic wave absorbing material is attached and provides a noise filtering function for the male electrical connector element by attaching the short-circuit element to the first component. This component of the squib connector assembly is specifically used for a squib connector assembly for energizing a gas producer to make it ignite.
According to this construction, the use of the flat-plate-like noise filter having electromagnetic wave absorbing material permits the full performance of capacitance function, and as such can permit the noise filtering function not inferior to that of the conventional squib connector assembly using the ferrite bead. Thus, the use of the thin and easily attachable noise filter can provide the component of the squib connector assembly that can adequately meet the demand for miniaturization and space saving and provide improved workability in the assembling work.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.